Somerset Stoner Doom act Sergeant Thunderhoof stick close to home territory for fifth full-length studio release, The Ghost of Badon Hill (A Pale Wizard Records). Hailing from Bath, Somerset, the quintet delve into the rich history of the area, the titular hill the likeliest setting for one of King Arthur’s final battles. Only most likely because, like with most Arthurian legend, scholars and academics have spent as much time arguing over locations as well as actual events.
Was the battle of Mons Badonicus even in the south of England at all, or rather Scotland, South Wales or Leicestershire? Well, for the sake of this latest exercise in psychedelic doom, let’s leave the historians to fight over the details while we deal with more important issues like riffs.
Opener “Badon” begins with gently picked acoustic guitar and whistling, singer Dan Flitcroft‘s immediately impressive vocals delivered with feeling and power, the guitars slow and crunchy, and bolstered by an evocative, melodic solo. Imagine Black Sabbath meeting Paradise Lost at midnight on the moors and you’ll be in the right ballpark.
The seven-and-a-half minute “Blood Moon” opens with slow, ringing distorted notes, eventually replaced by a simple but chunky Mastodon style riff, more fantastic vocals by Flitcroft, and superb guitar work from the duo of Mark Sayer and Josh Gallop. The Sabbath vibes return with the slow swing of “The Orb of Octavia,” the rhythm section of bass player Jim Camp and drummer Darren Ashman driving the song forwards with power and precision, as they do on every track on the record.
Easily one of the finest cuts the band has ever recorded, the upbeat “Salvation for the Soul” not only boasts one of the catchiest choruses on the record but also finds the band at their fiercest as well as possessing the perfect amount of cowbell. It’s something in the blood indeed.
The first half of “Sentinel” might be quiet and restrained, but the song unleashes its full power around the halfway mark, the penultimate track leading into the eleven-minute epic lament of closer “Beyond the Hill.” Combining spidery guitar work with colossal riffs, quiet sections, and possibly the best vocal performance by Flitcroft on the whole album, it’s simply the perfect way to bring the curtain down.
Their most mature work to date, The Ghost of Badon Hill is classic doom with psychedelic flourishes scattered throughout. The musicianship on display is exemplary, the production thick and punchy, and the guitar tone as heavy as anything you’re likely to hear this year. A monumental effort from a band who deserve much more.
Buy the album here:
https://sergeantthunderhoof.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-of-badon-hill
9 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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